The subject matter herein relates generally to an electrical device having a ground termination component with a strain relief element.
Communication cables electrically couple to various types of electrical devices to transmit differential signals, such as connectors and circuit boards. In some applications, such as high-speed data transmission applications, electromagnetic interference (EMI) and/or radio frequency interference (RFI) are concerns. So, the electrical cables are shielded to protect against interference from environmental sources of EMI/RFI. For example, some known communication cables include a differential pair of signal conductors surrounded by a shield layer that, in turn, is surrounded by a cable jacket. The shield layer includes a conductive foil, which functions to shield the signal conductor(s) from electromagnetic interference (EMI) and generally improve performance. In addition, the shield layer may function as a grounding element. At an end of the communication cable, the cable jacket, the shield layer, and insulation that covers the signal conductor(s) may be removed or stripped to expose the signal conductor(s) and/or the shield layer. The exposed portions of the conductor(s) and shield layer may then be mechanically and/or electrically coupled, such as soldering, to corresponding elements of an electrical device, such as signal contacts, ground contacts, ground busbars, and or substrates.
Coupling the communication cables to the various components of the electrical connector may be a time consuming and expensive process. For example, electrical connectors may have a substrate, such as a circuit board, with signal contacts for coupling with signal conductors of the communication cable, and a ground busbar with ground contacts for electrically coupling with grounding elements of the communication cable, such as the conductive foil shield layer or a drain wire, held by a housing. Furthermore, each component used in a connector requires additional tooling and assembly. Thus, communication cables and connectors that use less components and require less mechanical and electrical coupling reduce cost, tooling, and assembly time.
During assembly, the communication cables are subject to significant forces which may cause disconnection or damage at the connection points between the communication cables and the substrate. For example, the cables may be pulled on during routing of the cables within the system. Therefore, the connection points between the communication cables and the circuit board must be protected.
Accordingly, there is a need for an electrical device that includes a ground termination component with a strain relief element.